Lynn's Paradise Cafe may soon re-open with new ownership

The owner of a popular cafe is speaking out about why the restaurant closed abruptly in January...

Tuesday, December 10th 2013, 5:14 PM EST

Updated:

Tuesday, December 10th 2013, 5:20 PM EST

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Lynn's Paradise Cafe may soon re-open, but with a new owner -- so said Lynn Winter, the current owner of the popular cafe that closed without explanation in January.

Winter told WDRB's Bill Francis that the cafe could be sold to a new owner by the end of the year. She said she is in discussions with four potential buyers, and that there are some really good choices.

She added that she's been "picky" about a new owner because she wants the restaurant to come back better than when it closed. It's the restaurant's "brand" that is being sold, she said, and she wants the restaurant to maintain its "quirky" ambiance.

Since the restaurant closed, Winter has invested about $400,000 to upgrade the building, including kitchen improvements.

Winter told WDRB News that it was her health -- not a labor dispute -- that prompted her to close the cafe. Specifically, she said she was suffering from a bad case of the shingles. She had also suffered two previous heart attacks.

She said she plans to stay on for a while as a consultant to the new owner, but she added that she has another business venture in mind.